The present invention relates to pattern recognition systems which are used more particulary for the automatic reading of printed or typed texts.
It relates more specifically to systems in which the reading of the characters is performed in such a way that there is a system of binary numbers for each character, whereby each binary number corresponds to the presence or absence of an element of the character in a specific zone of elementary surface.
In these systems the reading or acquisition device supplies for each character a certain number of binary data, which together correspond to the character in question. This number, which depends on the sharpness of definition of the character is relatively high, for example 256.
No matter whether the acquisition of the character in the form of P binary numbers has been performed with a view to the subsequent restoring of the character or with a view to its recognition for processing in a data processor (case of a number automatically "read" at the input of a calculation circuit), in the known machines all the said data must be retained because the character is only identifiable by all the said data.